[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 168 (Monday, September 27, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S6696]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO SUSAN MEUSCHKE

 Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Mr. President, today I am honored to 
recognize Susan Meuschke, executive director of the Nevada Coalition to 
End Domestic and Sexual Violence--NCEDSV--who will officially retire on 
September 30, 2021.
  Ms. Meuschke has been a champion for victims of domestic violence and 
their families for more than three decades. Her career in advocacy and 
awareness of the problem of family violence in our communities began 
when she was a volunteer for the Committee to Aid Abused Women in Reno, 
NV. It was there, while listening to the struggles and the courage of 
those dealing with family violence, that she found her lifelong passion 
for helping those in need. Ms. Meuschke then went on to work with 
NCEDSV for 32 years and was instrumental in developing the organization 
into a powerful force in the State of Nevada with 10 full-time staff 
members, a variety of consultants, and offices in both Reno and Las 
Vegas. Ms. Meuschke is also a founding member of the Nevada Domestic 
Violence Prevention Council and a former member of the National 
Coalition Against Domestic Violence Steering Committee. In 2019, Nevada 
Governor Steve Sisolak proclaimed February 1 as a day in honor of Ms. 
Meuschke, a fitting tribute for such a remarkable woman.
  It has been an honor to work with Ms. Meuschke to help grow domestic 
violence programs. While I was Nevada's attorney general, I worked 
closely with Ms. Meuschke to ensure we passed legislation to create 
dedicated funding for domestic violence programs through fees on 
marriage licenses. Before her retirement, Ms. Meuschke and NCEDSV were 
also working on a bill to increase statewide funding for domestic 
violence services and to create funding for sexual violence services. 
These efforts reflect her dedication to working across the aisle to 
build a safer, more caring world for survivors of domestic and sexual 
violence.
  During 2020 and the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ms. Meuschke 
worked hard to ensure that Federal coronavirus relief funding delivered 
to NCEDSV went to programs aimed at providing education and support to 
survivors in rural communities. The funding also sought to improve the 
financial independence of survivors through the Financial Empowerment 
Microloan program. Ms. Meuschke was crucial in seeing that the funds 
were distributed equitably to programs that would make the biggest 
difference in the lives of survivors.
  As Ms. Meuschke enters her retirement, I want to make sure her 
decades of strong advocacy and empowerment are recognized for the 
important impact they have had in the State of Nevada. First as 
Nevada's attorney general and now as a U.S. Senator, I have been 
fortunate to work side-by-side with Ms. Meuschke to support families 
and make our communities safer. NCEDSV is not only a strong advocate 
for policies that protect victims but a resource for survivors who are 
looking for help. Much of its strength can be attributed to Ms. 
Meuschke's leadership and her unwavering resilience and fortitude to 
advocate on behalf of all survivors.

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